Cruzeiro turn down the chance to sign Chelsea Champions League winner

Belo Horizonte club Cruzeiro claim that they have turned down the chance to sign ex Chelsea and Lyon star Florent Malouda. Malouda, now 35, is married to a Brazilian and Cruzeiro claim that they had the chance to sign him for 2016, but turned it down. A Champions League winner in 2012, the winger is currently plying his trade with Delhi Dynamos, managed by Roberto Carlos, in India.

Cruzeiro director Sergio Rodrigues claims that he met with Malouda and his agent recently, “The story is as follows: we met his agent here (in Belo Horizonte). At the meeting, the player’s name was mentioned and said I would have to talk with the board, but that he was not the profile Cruzeiro are looking for.

“We have analyzed the issue of his age, playing in the Indian league. We did not even take it to the coaching staff. We decided on our own as a board. We want players with different potential and not older players,” Rodrigues told ESPN Brasil.

Cruzeiro are looking to rebuild, after their back to back title winning team of 2013 and 2014 was dismantled by player sales last year, culminating in a disappointing campaign in 2015.